1 Kings 3:26

1 Kings 3:26 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it.
• New International Version (NIV)The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!” But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”
• English Standard Version (ESV)Then the woman whose son was alive said to the king, because her heart yearned for her son, "Oh, my lord, give her the living child, and by no means put him to death." But the other said, "He shall be neither mine nor yours; divide him."
• New King James Version (NKJV)Then the woman whose son was living spoke to the king, for she yearned with compassion for her son; and she said, “O my lord, give her the living child, and by no means kill him!” But the other said, “Let him be neither mine nor yours, but divide him.”

Context of 1 Kings 3:26

24The king continued, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought the sword to the king. 25And the king said, “Cut the living boy in two and give half to one and half to the other.” The woman whose son was alive spoke to the king because she felt great compassion for her son. “My lord, give her the living baby,” she said, “but please don’t have him killed!” But the other one said, “He will not be mine or yours. Cut him in two!” 27The king responded, “Give the living baby to the first woman, and don’t kill him. She is his mother.” 28All Israel heard about the judgment the king had given, and they stood in awe of the king because they saw that God’s wisdom was in him to carry out justice.

1 Kings 3:26 word by word

וַתֹּ֣אמֶר הָאִשָּׁה֩ אֲשֶׁר־בְּנָ֨הּ הַחַ֜י אֶל־הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ כִּֽי־נִכְמְר֣וּ רַחֲמֶיהָ֮ עַל־בְּנָהּ֒ וַתֹּ֣אמֶר׀ בִּ֣י אֲדֹנִ֗י תְּנוּ־לָהּ֙ אֶת־הַיָּל֣וּד הַחַ֔י וְהָמֵ֖ת אַל־תְּמִיתֻ֑הוּ וְזֹ֣את אֹמֶ֗רֶת גַּם־לִ֥י גַם־לָ֛ךְ לֹ֥א יִהְיֶ֖ה גְּזֹֽרוּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Then spakeאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• the womanאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · womanH802
• whose the livingחַיchay · aliveH2416
• childבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• unto the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
• for her bowelsרַחֲמִיםracham · compassionH7356
• yearnedכָּמַרkâmar · to grow warmH3648
• Oבִּיbîy · pleaseH994
• my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
• giveנָתַןnâthan · to give: giveH5414
• childיָלַדyâlad · to begetH3205
• and in no wiseמוּתmûth · to dieH4191
• divideגָּזַרgâzar · to cutH1504

Cross-references for 1 Kings 3:26

• Genesis 43:30Joseph hurried out because he was overcome with emotion for his brother, and he was about to weep. He went into an inner room and wept there.
• Isaiah 49:15“Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the child of her womb? Even if these forget, yet I will not forget you.
• Jeremiah 31:20Isn’t Ephraim a precious son to me, a delightful child? Whenever I speak against him, I certainly still think about him. Therefore, my inner being yearns for him; I will truly have compassion on him. This is the Lord’s declaration.
• Hosea 11:8How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I surrender you, Israel? How can I make you like Admah? How can I treat you like Zeboiim? I have had a change of heart; my compassion is stirred!
• Philippians 1:8For God is my witness, how deeply I miss all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
• Philippians 2:1If, then, there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy,
• 1 John 3:17If anyone has this world’s goods and sees a fellow believer in need but withholds compassion from him — how does God’s love reside in him?
• Psalms 39:3My heart grew hot within me; as I mused, a fire burned. I spoke with my tongue:
• Romans 1:31senseless, untrustworthy, unloving, and unmerciful.
• 2 Timothy 3:3unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good,

Commentaries on 1 Kings 3:26

• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 16-28Verses 16-28 An instance of Solomon's wisdom is given. Notice the difficulty of the case. To find out the true mother, he could not try which the child loved best, and therefore tried which loved the child best: the mother's sincerity will be tried, when the child is in danger. Let parents show their love to their children, especially by taking care of their souls, and snatching them as brands out of the burning. By this and other instances of the wisdom…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 16-28Solomon's decision about the true mother of the living baby shows his wisdom in legal matters. First Kings 4–10 show his wisdom in all parts of his rule.Read the comment

Topics related to 1 Kings 3:26

• Arbitration
• Bowels
• Judge
• Parents
• Rulers
• Solomon
• Tact
• Wisdom

In the dictionaries

• Affinity
• Divide
• Solomon
• Yearn
• Abishag
• Decision
• Israel, History of
• Kings, Books of
• Proverbs, the Book of
• Queen of Sheba

Commentaries on 1 Kings 3

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings